Check out the past performances of your Rotary clubs in the last 7–10 years, and “better that best year so far by setting clear goals for creating a lasting impact in your communities,” said RIPE Olayinka Babalola, addressing presidents-elect at a Joint PELS of RIDs 3191 and 3192 in Bengaluru.
The club presidents must always remember that their tenure will come to an end on June 30, 2027, and only two things can happen from here: “Either you feel quite relieved of your responsibility the next morning, seeing no emails, or can be happy and smiling that you have made your club a much better one by growing it… the choice is yours.” Citing the Rotary Vision Statement, he said, “if you believe Rotary has transformed you, your business and family life, then put it all in writing after thinking it through, and pass on that change to rest of your club members.”
He advised the incoming club presidents not to recall Rotary’s history from 1905, going back to its founder Paul Harris in Evanston, when anybody asked them what Rotary was all about. “Just tell your personal story; of how your life was transformed by Rotary, and suggest joining it if they want similar positive changes in their lives.” As club leaders, they have to give opportunities to members for “Rotary to make life-changing impact in their lives.”
DGE Anil Gupta, DG Sridhar B R and PDG Srinivas Murthy.
Rotary clubs must compete with themselves, rather than be driven by external factors, and set growth targets for the year, he said. “We have a target to become a 1.25 million-strong Rotary by 2030. Set yourself on fire for a spontaneous combustion; go out, better your best. We need India to grow Rotary,” added Babalola.
Listing out three simple rules of life, RI director K P Nagesh said, “If you don’t go after what you want, you will never have it; if you don’t ask, the answer will always be no; and if you don’t step forward, you will always be in the same place.” He urged club presidents to “select the right person for the right job, use the right tools for execution, and appreciate your members for their contributions.”
Rotarians are all winners in life, “as they convert problems into opportunities to achieve. Plan, execute quickly, and don’t postpone your work and projects.” Aim big to achieve big, he said, “starting with having your own club building, ensuring new clubs have 40-plus members, have their own trust supported by CSR funds, all Rotarians are PHF members, and at least 33 per cent are women.” All clubs must embrace the 1:2:3 formula that would grow Rotary, and also ensure more Rotaractors join Rotary clubs, Nagesh added.
RID 3191 had conducted over 15 Pre-PELS to train presidents-elect. “Our target is to induct 10 new clubs and add 500 new members,” said DGE Anil Gupta. At present, they have 92 clubs. In August, the district will launch a VTT mission (GG: $40,000) that will provide hands-on training to four spine and neurosurgeons from Africa at the Aster Whitefield Hospital for one year. Over 100 depleted ponds will be rejuvenated in the Kolar region to enable the storage of 100 billion litres of water and the recharging of groundwater. The project worth `5 crore will be funded by a mix of CSR and global grants. RID 3191 clubs will do service projects worth `20 crore, and Gupta has a TRF-giving target of $2 million. Around 10 GG projects are in the pipeline.
Collective leadership
RID 3192 DGE Ravishankar Dakoju’s theme for his term is titled ‘Dhanyavad — Gratitude in Action’. “We believe in collective leadership and a borderless world. We dare to dream big and will execute programmes under three verticals in Project Dhanyavad.”
Over one million trees will be planted across RI districts in India; in partnership with Water for Voiceless, an NGO, the district will install 10,000 water bowls for protecting pet animals and birds; and give basic education to tribals in five schools being run by the NGO Friends of Tribals Society. This NGO is running over a lakh schools educating forest tribals across India, said Dakoju.
RID 3192 has tied up with various NGOs to hold workshops for elderly care, and will campaign against drug abuse. “Under DEI initiatives, 10 cabs and 10 autorickshaws will be given to transgenders, and a multidistrict Paralympics will be conducted,” he said. “Apart from service projects worth ₹15 crore, around 20 GG programmes will be done. We have set an ambitious target of $7 million for TRF-giving,” he said.
Recalling the work already done, RID 3191 DG Sridhar B R pointed out a 24 per cent growth in membership, with induction of 689 new Rotarians, taking the total to 3,625. “We will add 13 more clubs, taking the number to 110 by June 30. Retention of 94 per cent of existing members, and 97 per cent of new Rotarians was achieved with women’s membership standing at 22 per cent,” he said.
So far, RID 3191 clubs have done service projects worth `21 crore, CSR-funded initiatives of $1 million, and 12 GG programmes are in various stages of implementation. “We have provided milch cows to 300 rural women through a `3 crore GG, to provide sustainable livelihood to them,” he said. The district has reached the mark of $1 million so far in TRF-giving.”
Under the leadership of DG Elizabeth Cherian, RID 3192 has added 540 new members, taking the total to 3,790. The aim is to cross the 4,000 membership mark by June-end. “We are carrying forward a huge legacy that includes four Rotary blood banks, two skill development centres, 15 dialysis centres, helping over 200 schools, rejuvenating over 10 lakes and ponds, and now running over 10 mobile clinics,” she explained.
Moreover, her member engagement initiatives for clubs such as Chai-pe-Charcha, Rotary Quiz, online Kannada classes, and wellness programmes have created a bond among Rotarians.
PDG S Nagendra was the event chair; PDGs Satish Madhavan (3191) and Srinivas Murthy (3192) were the learning facilitators. EMGA Sam Movva (Zone-7) presented Endowment Challenge Awards to RID 3131 DG Santhosh Marathe and RID 3150 DG Raam Prasad; Annual Fund 50:50 Milestone Awards to seven RI districts of the zone.